Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-07-09
LIMESTONE GAP.
BY HENRY DALE.

BY HENRY DALE.
"Hsllo. Old Cyclone, what's the matter
now?" !,
aMatter? Eff yer want ter keep Their hal
on yer heards ye'd better stop that ere
squallin thar an saddle up.
~Injuns?"
"Yer bet, thicker'n grasshoppers in Kan.
sas, sand burrs in Texas, sage brush ir
Dakota, an liars in Denver"
"Boys, Old Cy don't talk fur nuthin
Better be saddlin up an prepa'r ter run OF
fight, an may be both"
"Thet's jest the size O it." growled the
rough visaged frontiersman known as OLD
Cyclone, drawing in his painting steed, and
casting furtive chances down the valley in
the direction he had come.
The scenery about the little camp was
wild and picturesque in the extreme. Rug
ged mountains, some barren and others
dotted with verdure to their very SUBMITS,
rose on every hand. Below them was a
lovely valley with stream like thread of
silver winding through it.
The camp itself was on a bit of table
land, and there was from it an excellent
view of the valley for several miles below
Three hardy mustangs We're grazing a
short distance from the camp fire, and three
men were seated about it, when the fourth,
whom we have introduced by the appella-
ton by which he was known all over the
West-Old Cyclone-came up on his
horse.
Two of the men seated at the camp fir
were rough. bronze checked frontiers
men, like Old Cyclone, but the third wa>
little more than boy. His fair cheek am.
tender-looling hands were evidence agains,
his having been long on the frontier. ia,
three were finishing their dinner, and IilI
Murphy, one of the frontier scouts, Il I'd
been entertaining his companions with 3
song, which drew forth from Cyclone Use
remark that he had better stop his squill-
ing: :,
the third frontiersman.
"'Bout two milds."
"Great grizzlies, boys. we'd like ter been
tuk right in by the tarnal varmints!"
the three mustangs were saddled in as
many seconds, and while this operation
was going on Old Cyclone leaped from his
saddle and began stamping the fire into the
earth, thus putting it out.
"Wall, I swow, Tenderfoot, yer gettin'
purity handy wi leather. Their way ye
stitched yer broncho nd do credit to a
reglar broncho buster. Mount, boys; we've
got ter hit the fat an overtake that wagin'
train afore it strikes the mountings, or
we'll hev the pesky theevin' redskins or
skalpin' every man, woman, an child
among 'em."
The face Of the youth, who was called
Tenderfoot among his companions because
he had been on the plains only short time,
turned deathly pale. His father, mother.
younger brothers, and sisters were with that
train, and in danger Of being massacred by
the Apaches.
The youth, whose name was Charley
Myrtle, was brave lad, and he grpped his
rifle, while his teeth were set with an air of
=. firmness and determination, though his
cheek was considerably paler than usual.
How far do you think the wagon train
is from the mountains?" he asked of Old
Cyclone.
"Dun know, Tenderfoot, but its more'n
likely they're in 'em now. They've he'd
time to come to 'em by this time, but eff
they amt crossed the river they kin git
back to the fiat Prairie) afore the Apaches
come up ter EN-"
"Can We defend ourselves better on the
prairie than on the mountain"
eyer jist bet we kin, Tenderfoot. Here,
fellers, Jump yer cayuse an less be maxim
tracks fur Limestun Gap"
The men were in their saddles and soon
galloping at break neck speed along the
plateau, and then entered q narrow, deep
defile which brought them out into sort of
q wide canyon.
Charley Myrtle, who was unaccustomed
to horseback riding, was stiff and sore, and
scarcely able to ride, yet the recollection
that his parents and brothers and sisters
were in danger seemed to give him new life.
"Are the Apaches mounted or on foot?"
Charley asked Old Cyclone, who rode at
his side.
"Mounted2 Why, Tenderfoot, they never
ride, specially eff they're in hurry. No,
sir, they're on foot"
Then we can outtravel them?"
"Wall, now, don't know SO well about
tibet, youngster," said the old scout. Them
air pesky redskins when they git it inter
their head to 60 kin jist git over ground
mountings they kin outrun boss. Why,
they run deers down sometimes"
Then they may overtake us?"
Yes, they will eff they come onter our
trail unless we mend our gait.
did they see your"
~No."
~Then they may not find us.
"Yas, eff they turn off some other way,
but they war comm right toward US.
How manv?"
"Dun know exactly. but thar war at least
q hundred O. EN-
They now came to where the valley was
wider, and the sides BECAME bluffs a hum
dred feet in height.
Two ranges of mountains conveyed
about q mile further up, in what was known
as Limestone Gap. The valley or canyon
from the point they had now reached,
gradually grew narrower until they came to
the gap, which was so narrow that two
could scarce ride abreast through it.
at every few rods Old Cyclone dropped
to the rear. and looked back down the val
lev and along the tops of the bluffs on
either side.
THAR amt red Niger in sight yit,
boys, he at last said, galloping up TO where
the others were hurrying their mustangs
over the stony ground. II think we'll git
ter the gap all right"
The ponies Numbered along over the
stony earth, and the ring Of hoofs echoed
along the canyon unul Charley began to